


Good Old Days

by generalsleepy



Category: Invaders (Marvel), Marvel (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hero Worship, M/M, Nostalgia, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-26
Updated: 2013-04-26
Packaged: 2017-12-09 13:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalsleepy/pseuds/generalsleepy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Namor have a talk with a few of the Young Avengers. A lot of things have changed since they were in their prime, but a lot has also stayed the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Old Days

" _Who wouldn't love you, who wouldn't care_?"

Harry Babbitt crooned from a corner of Jim Hammond's Baxter Building apartment. Jim looked a bit embarrassed.

"Richards has it set up to go off every time someone comes in," he explained. "I, uh, can't quite figure out how to shut it off."

Namor leaned against a bookcase, smirking. "That doesn't explain your atrophied musical taste."

"At least I have some taste, water rat," Jim snapped, barely suppressing a grin.

The three teenagers didn't seem to notice. They were staring around the apartment and from Jim to Namor, their eyes wide as saucers. The one called Speed seemed to be trying to stay cool but the other two, Wiccan and Hulkling, had no such pretensions.

"Thank you again, so much, Mr. Torch, um, Mr. Hammond, for the help back there," the tall, blond kid, who a few minutes earlier had been a muscled green monster smashing cars with single fist stammered.

Jim shrugged. "No trouble. Looked like you kids had those mooks on the run anyway. Just sorry your pals couldn't make it up here."

"Yeah, Patriot and Hawkeye," the smaller, dark-haired boy said sheepishly, "they have, um, lots of committments."

"Unlike us," Hulkling added. "We're free, totally. Completely… uncommitted."

"Uh-huh," his friend agreed.

"All right, then."

The awkward silence stretched out. Trudy Erwin had joined Harry in her bubbly warble. The teenage superheroes were still looking at him in wonder. Namor was still smirking.

"So, do you kids want some Cokes or something?" he said lamely. 

"Sure!" Wiccan and Hulkling chorused. They looked at each other, clearly embarrassed.

The three kids ended up sitting around the bar in his kitchen sipping Cokes and casting somewhat uncertain looks at the Atlantean prince sitting splayed on his stool, wearing only a pair of black swimming trunks. Speed had deliberately sat to put a few feet of space between himself and Namor.

"Thank you again so much for helping us out back there Mr. Hammond," Wiccan said.

"So much," Hulkling added.

"Jim, please," Jim said.

"Jim," Wiccan repeated.

Namor snorted. Jim ignored him. "You kids seemed to be have it fairly well in hand before we happened to step in. Pretty nice work."

"Oh, well, y'know, it was just a couple of mooks with stolen HYDRA tech," Hulkling said. "Not like Red Skull or Agent Axis."

"Wait, you actually remember Agent Axis?" Jim said incredulously. "What, do you guys collect the comics?"

"Reprints," Wiccan answered quietly.

Jim chuckled. "Well, whatta you know?" he muttered.

He wasn't really sure what to do with the waves of gaping awe coming off of the kids, especially Wiccan and Hulkling. The Young Avengers; to him, it felt like the Avengers were only a few years old, but already there were Young Avengers, dressing up like their heroes and using their own remarkable powers to try to follow in their footsteps.

One of them had taken the name Patriot, though he dressed like Captain America and led his team like Steve had led The Invaders. He wondered if this Patriot knew about Jeff Mace. He wondered if he knew how Jeff had given up that title, if he knew that Jim had been the one to say that no one would wear that uniform again, if he knew how much Jim regretted those words every day.

Then again, from what Jim had seen and learned about the pasts few years these kids probably had enough on their plate without digging out the ghosts of the past.

"So, if you don't mind me asking," Speed said. "What were you two doing when you ran into us? I mean, don't you two…" He looked from Jim to Namor. "…Hate each other?" 

Wiccan cast the other boy--he looked like a brother, maybe even a twin--an exasperated look. Before Jim could grasp for an explanation, Namor answered, "Age takes the edge off of a lot of things, you'll find. If you ever make it that far."

"Namor," Jim chided.

Speed shrugged and gave a wan smile. "No, that's kinda fair."

Another awkward moment stretched out. The kids squirmed. Jim glared at Namor, who just raised an eyebrow at him. The song had changed; now Sinatra belting out "Our Love Affair."

Finally, Wiccan said, "I just really appreciate you guys helping us. I mean, you're… you guys…"

"You're the first superheroes," Hulkling provided sheepishly, staring at Jim in awe. Wiccan and Speed nodded.

Jim chuckled and grabbed the back of his neck. "Well, jeez, you keep doing that a guy'll get smug."

"You're full of enough hot air already," Namor interjected.

Jim pointedly ignored him. "Don't sell yourselves short. You kids were pretty impressive out there. And, I know if Cap is letting you carry that name, he must be impressed too."

He didn't think the kids' eyes could get any wider. The three of them looked like they were about to pop from excitement.

"Thanks," Wiccan managed in a voice that was practically a squeak.

"I suppose you children must be have parents who are expecting you home."

Their noncommittal expressions told Jim that that might not have been exactly the best thing to say. Still they got to their feet.

"Yeah," Wiccan said. "Thanks again."

"So much."

"Yeah."

"Really, really… thanks."

"All right, all right. You need any help finding your way out?"

They shook their heads.

 "Okay, seeya around, Young Avengers."

They gave one more trio of delirious grins, then started towards the front door of the apartment. Wiccan and Hulkling bunched together and Jim was pretty sure he saw their hands tangle as they walked out the door. Times were sure as hell a-changing.

"You should go into social work, y'know," he said flatly, without turning to look at Namor.

"Oh? How did I embarrass you this time firebug?"

"Well, maybe telling the small children that you think they might die before they get old. I don't know about in the undersea kingdom, but up here we kinda frown on that."

"What, do want me to lie to them?"

"Namor, those kid's've seen the Civil War, they've seen Skrulls invading, they've seen… I think they know enough about dying without needing anyone to remind them."

Namor was silent a moment, staring at Jim with an inscrutable expression. "Reminds you of Toro?"

Jim nodded. "And Bucky. Yeah, a bit. I bet Steve sees it too. They're damn good kids. Still makes you feel old, no matter what you're made of."

The song had changed, thankfully: Old Blue Eyes wasn't a favorite of his. The Andrews Sisters were singing one of their old corny tunes. He couldn't help but feel a bit brighter.

Namor looked down at his fingers, tapping out the rhythm of the song on the tabletop. "You are old, you bucket of bolts. Next thing, you're gonna ask me to dance and chat about old times."

"Y'know, I might just do that." Jim stuck out his hand towards Namor.

The Atlantean raised an eyebrow. "I was joking."

"I'm not. Come on, you already swooped in and saved the day. Your big, bad brooding reputation's already ruined. Do this for me."

His eyes narrowed. "Sometimes you make me want to go back to the ocean and never leave, Firebug." Still, he reached out and took Jim's hand and let him be pulled to his feet. Jim wrapped a hand around Namor's waist. They started into a simple step to the simple, happy song.

_If my hours could be spent,_

_Near you,_

_I'd more than content_

_Near you!_

"You're only protective, because those brats were worshipping at your feet," Namor grumbled.

"You don't think they were a bit moon-eyed at you too?"

Namor snorted. "I think I did a good enough job of making myself a villain when they were growing up."

"Like you were ever good at being the villain, water rat." Jim led him in an exaggerated twirl. "They're good kids."

"A bit dim, though. Didn't catch on at all."

"Maybe us old farts are just that boring." Jim bent him back slightly and kissed him.

_It's wonderful as heaven!_

_A special kind of heaven,_

_But only when I'm near you!_

"I'm glad I have you back, firebug," Namor breathed. "Feels like the good old days."

'Don't tell anyone," Jim responded. "But I think these days are pretty damn good."


End file.
